India orders 14.5 mn more COVID-19 vaccine doses from SII and Bharat Biotech

India has ordered 10 million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the (SII) and 4.5 million more of a homegrown one from Bharat Biotech, company representatives told Reuters.

SII had supplied 11 million doses for the inoculation campaign, which has covered 6.3 million front-line workers since it began on January 16. Bharat Biotech has supplied 5.5 million doses.

“The second order is already in place, it’s for 10 million doses,” an SII spokesman said, adding that the figure was part of the 100 million doses the company has agreed to sell to the government for 200 rupees ($2.74) each.

A Bharat Biotech spokeswoman said it was selling 4.5 million more.

The regulator is expected to approve Russia’s Sputnik V and Cadila Healthcare’s ZyCov-D vaccines in the next few months.

(Edits by EP News Bureau)